1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system and in particular, to a method and apparatus for analyzing data from a well site. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for analyzing data about a formation in the earth obtained from a well site to predict properties for the formation.
2. Background of the Invention
In the production life cycle of natural resources, such as oil and gas, these types of resources are extracted from reservoir fields in geological formations.
Different stages in this life cycle include exploration, appraisal, reservoir development, production decline, and abandonment of the reservoir. In these different phases, decisions are made to properly allocate resources to assure that the reservoir meets its production potential. In the early stages of this cycle, the distribution of internal properties within the reservoir is almost unknown. As development of the reservoir continues, different types of data regarding the reservoir are collected. This data includes, for example, seismic data, well logs, and production data. The collected information is combined to construct an understanding of the distribution of reservoir properties in the formation.
This understanding of the distribution of reservoir changes as production and the data changes. In analyzing this data, a number of different software packages have been developed. For example, Petrel is a software solution that provides different tools from seismic interpretation to simulation in a single application. Petrel is a product of Schlumberger Technology Corporation. An example of another software package used to analyze data about formations in the earth is GeoFrame®. This software package is available from Schlumberger Technology Corporation and provides an interrogated reservoir characterization system used to outline and manage everyday work flow and provide for detail analysis of reservoirs.
However, the approaches to analyzing data from well sites that are available today have some important disadvantages for depicting formation of heterogeneities. The different embodiments recognize that these currently available techniques are not designed to facilitate the integration of data from different sources because of heterogeneity in the formations. For example, a program may allow for analysis and interpretation of seismic data while another program may allow for the analysis of porosity measurements. The same program may even include modules for analyzing data from different sources. The different embodiments recognize that these currently available techniques are unable to integrate data from different sources because of heterogeneity of the formations in the ground.